Name
George Bedford
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/02/1917
32
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
43013
Northamptonshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AVELUY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
M.35
France
Headstone Inscription
IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE ARE IN DEATH
UK & Other Memorials
Holy Trinity Church Wall Memorial, Potten End
Pre War
George Bedford was born in 1885 in Potten End, nr Berkhamsted, the son of Alvah and Lilly Bedford and one of twelve children.
On the 1891 & 1901 Census the family were living at Potten End, where his father was working as a nursery labourer. They remained living there on the 1911 Census, and gave their address as 8 Potten End, at which time George was also working as a nursery labourer like his father.
Wartime Service
He initially enlisted at Bedford with the Bedfordshire Regiment on 11 December 1915 (Reg. No. 26977), later transferring to the 6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment and served in France from 7 July 1916.
He died of shell wounds at the 54th Field Ambulance, France on 18 Feb 1917. age 32, and is buried in Aveluy Communal Cemetery, Extension, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs A Bedford, 8 Front Row, Potten End, Berkhamsted, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "IN THE MIDST OF LIFE WE ARE IN DEATH". His mother received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 19s 7d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk., hemelatwar.org.
